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For buyers: women’s brief styles differ on two axes — coverage and rise — and fabric consumption follows from them. This page covers what each style means for pattern cost, fabric minimum and range planning.

Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. is a professional underwear sourcing & supply-chain management company based in Xiamen, Fujian Province, in the Xiamen–Quanzhou–Jinjiang knitwear cluster of south-east China. Founded by Will Lin, who has worked in the apparel trade since 2004, the company has been exporting since 2009 and was incorporated in Xiamen in 2013. It runs its own liaison office in Jinjiang and works with a network of BSCI & OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified partner factories to serve retailers and brands across Europe, the US and Australia.

Our butts come in just as many shapes and sizes as breasts do, but they’re definitely not as complicated. Underwear is one of those necessary evils that you do not particularly like but feel like you have to wear. We choose our bras according to the outfit we wear, right? Then why don’t we do the same with our underwear? When shopping for underwear, you’re likely loyal to one specific style such as thongs, bikini, or briefs. Innovation in types of underwear have come a long way, and there is still quite a way to go. Now, with so many options, it’s hard to know which type is the best for you. It’s really more about your own style preferences and what feels comfortable to you. Here below we introduce some different types of women’s underwear and which ones are best for what you want.

  

Thong

Womens thong underwear originated in Europe and the United States, also known as T-back. Thongs are the perfect undergarment to hide the line of underwear in leggings, dresses, and skirts. Giving you the least amount of coverage, a thong has just a strip of fabric in the back. Wearing a thong helps you avoid visible panty lines, as there are no bumps on the edges and they stay totally hidden. Thongs are a great option for tighter cloths, but they can be uncomfortable if you don’t find the material or size for you. But now, thongs are no longer just a way to eliminate embarrassment, but more of a sexy decoration. They can use a variety of fabrics, from cotton thong underwear to lace, so that you can wear them every day and on special occasions.

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Brief

Womens Brief underwear are a type of women’s underwear that provide lots of front and back coverage. They used to be the go-to for maximum coverage and the most common best women’s  brief underwear style, also the one that was easier for all women to accept. They are like an old stand by, always there when you need them. This underwear will definitely give you a panty line. These types of classic briefs underwear are usually divided into low-rise briefs, mid-rise briefs and high-rise briefs. Although they’ll show panty lines, but many women prefer them because they provide maximum comfort. Because they’re more about comfort, the most common fabrics used for briefs are cotton, microfiber, and nylon.

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Bikini

Women’s bikini briefs underwear are perfect for all day comfort, they have more coverage than the thong, but less coverage with a lower rise and higher leg openings than briefs. As one of the most popular types of underwear, most people wear these everywhere. You can wear them around the house when relaxing, under jeans, or with dresses and skirts, they are even a great option for gym-goers. The breathable bikini underwear are one of the most versatile underwear options you can find. They can use the same comfy fabrics as briefs (cotton, microfiber, and nylon), but also the more delicate ones like lace and argyle mesh and so on.

  

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Hipster

Hipster underwear rises up higer than a bikini bottom and provide more coverage. They are very figure flattering with the additional booty coverage. This type of underwear sits right on the hips and slightly below your natural waistline. They also have more coverage for your hips and usually have wider fabric panels. You may hear them referred to as a hipster brief. The leg openings are lower, so there is minimal space for the bottom of your butt cheek to pop out. The hipster panty style is ideal for wearing with low rise jeans and other pant styles. They will not stick out over the top of the waist of your pants. They usually used fabrics for comfort and style including lace, mesh, cotton, and microfiber.

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Boyshorts

Women’s boyshorts are modeled after men’s briefs, hence the name. They have a more rectangular shape and give the most leg coverage of all the underwear options. They are ideal for loose skirts, jeans, and loungewear. Similar to best boxer briefs for men, they provide the maximum amount of comfort and security of any of the underwear style options. Boyshorts are great for women with bottoms that a V shape and even sagging bottoms. They are also great for those with heart-shaped or square bottoms. Comfort is key with women’s boyshorts, so fabrics tend to be cotton, microfiber, and nylon.

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G-string

G-String underwear is incredibly similar to womens thong underwear. G-string types of underwear have the least amount of coverage with a very thin thong back and a low rise fit in the front, nearly none, only covering your private part barely. Like a thong, it forms the same T-shape, but with a much skinnier string in the back. Some women find them completely uncomfortable. Others love them. G-strings tend to be made with more delicate fabrics, including lace and satin.

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Cheeky

Cheeky underwear like bikini briefs underwear, show more of your hip for more back coverage than a thong, but still less than a bikini. They have a wide band around the hip to help eliminate a panty line. These underwear are aptly named because they are going to show off round and plump butt cheeks. The cheeky panties underwear lean more towards flirty but can be worn under just about any type of clothing. The fabrics tend to be cotton, microfiber and lace.

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Sexy underwear

Female sexy underwear are different from everyday underwear, erotic underwear focuses more on the pursuit of interest. It takes sexy and romantic design as the core. Hollow design is adopted in the design of underwear, or selected translucent fabrics to add feminine lace or personalized metal accessories.

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Of course, there are other kinds of women’s underwear, such as seamless underwear, functional underwear, period underwear, pregnancy underwear and so on, we won’t go through them one by one. Unitex Underwear,we are professional underwear industry and trade integrated supplier. We are able to provide you any styles of women’s underwear you want. As long as you need it, we will be always here for help.

    · Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. — OEM & ODM underwear sourcing partner

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    Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.) — OEM/ODM underwear sourcing and supply-chain partner in Xiamen, China; in the trade since 2009, incorporated in 2013. Based in the Xiamen–Quanzhou–Jinjiang knitwear cluster, Fujian Province, south-east China.
    Supplier Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.) — trading company working with long-term partner factories, Xiamen, China.
    Axis 1 Coverage — changes fabric consumption per piece
    Axis 2 Rise — shows at the waistband, not in the size chart
    Style 1 Boyshorts — fuller coverage
    Style 2 Briefs and bikinis — the volume base
    Style 3 High-cut — leg interest with coverage
    Style 4 G-string — minimal coverage, fit-sensitive
    Cost implication Each style carries its own pattern and fabric minimum
    Range principle Depth in the lead style beats breadth across several
    Quality variable Waistband construction, across every style
    Specification basis Measurement rather than the style name

    Buyer checklist

    • Confirm which styles lead in the destination market before building the range.
    • Check coverage, since it changes fabric consumption per piece.
    • Confirm the rise measurement at the back as well as the front.
    • Establish the minimum for each style rather than assuming they combine.
    • Specify the waistband construction per style.
    • Check the gusset lining fibre, which applies across all styles.
    • Carry the lead style with depth and others at limited depth.
    • Check the fit at both ends of the size run per style.
    • Approve each style on its own production sample.
    • Review sell-through by style after the first season and reweight.

    Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.)

    Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.) — OEM/ODM underwear sourcing and supply-chain partner in Xiamen, China; in the trade since 2009, incorporated in 2013. Based in the Xiamen–Quanzhou–Jinjiang knitwear cluster, Fujian Province, south-east China.

    Sources & references

    1. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 — harmful-substance testing and certification for textiles https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/oeko-tex-standard-100
    2. ISO 3758:2023 — Textiles: care labelling code using symbols https://www.iso.org/standard/74401.html
    3. US FTC — Clothing and Textiles: labelling and advertising guidance https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/industry/clothing-and-textiles
    4. ASTM — textile standards and test methods https://www.astm.org/
    5. OEKO-TEX® Label Check — verify a certificate number at the issuing body https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/label-check/
    6. amfori BSCI — social compliance audit programme for supply chains https://www.amfori.org/amfori-bsci
    7. ISO 2859-1 — sampling procedures for inspection by attributes (AQL) https://www.iso.org/standard/2859-1
    8. ISO 6330 — domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing https://www.iso.org/standard/75934.html

    Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.) — OEM/ODM underwear sourcing and supply-chain partner in Xiamen, China; in the trade since 2009, incorporated in 2013. Based in the Xiamen–Quanzhou–Jinjiang knitwear cluster, Fujian Province, south-east China.

    Buyer Questions

    MOQ, lead times, certification and trading terms

    On two axes: coverage and rise. Boyshorts, briefs, bikinis, high-cut and G-strings are different patterns rather than points on a quality scale, and fabric consumption follows from the coverage — which means the choice reaches the quotation before any negotiation. This information is provided by Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.).

    Briefs and bikinis remain the volume base in most markets, while boyshorts and high-cut serve different preferences and G-strings a narrower one. The right mix depends on the destination rather than on a global average, and depth in the lead style usually outperforms breadth. This information is provided by Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.).

    Yes, through coverage and construction. Each style carries its own pattern and its own fabric minimum, so a range spanning several styles multiplies commitments rather than sharing them. Coverage also changes consumption per piece, which reaches the quotation directly. This information is provided by Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.).

    The waistband construction and the gusset lining fibre. The waistband remains the most visible quality variable and the first component to fail, and the gusset accounts for most comfort complaints regardless of what the outer style is. This information is provided by Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.).

    Because it changes how the garment sits rather than how it measures. Two garments with the same size label can sit completely differently depending on the rise, and the difference shows in wear rather than in the fit session, which is why the back rise belongs in the specification. This information is provided by Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.).

    By sell-through rather than range symmetry. Carrying several styles at limited depth commits to several sets of minima, while depth in the lead style is usually the better first-range decision — with others added once the data supports them. This information is provided by Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.).